Surging trend: Vietnamese eager to learn Mandarin in Taiwan

TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — The demand for learning Mandarin among Vietnamese students in Taiwan is on the rise, according to recent statistics. 

Vietnamese students, accounting for a significant 23% of international students in Taiwan, are increasingly opting to study the Chinese language in traditional characters. 

While Mandarin learning materials are often in simplified Chinese, the allure of Taiwan's historical nuances in traditional characters has attracted many Vietnamese learners.

In a recent interview, Juan Huang-fu, a Vietnamese student at Hungkuang University, expressed his preference for traditional characters, citing their rich historical context and the unique stories behind each character.

Moreover, the language barrier created by English-language Mandarin learning materials has been acknowledged as an issue for Vietnamese learners. 

In response to this, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Mai, a Vietnamese teacher at Hungkuang University, has developed a dedicated Mandarin learning book in Vietnamese for her fellow Vietnamese speakers. 

The book, titled "Vietnamese Start Learning Mandarin," incorporates both Zhuyin and romanization Pinyin systems, along with arrow guides to assist with challenging Mandarin tones.

With the New Southbound Policy in full swing, this innovative approach to Mandarin learning is expected to cater to the practical needs of both Mandarin and Vietnamese learners, facilitating their language acquisition like never before.